Jacob, "Two witnesses at least the law requires," and
Samuel answered: "These shall not be lacking; I will provide them
myself."

Then said Dariabbas, "Our decision stands firm, but in order not to
offend the weak it would be well to observe the usual forms of justice."

"And," added Ezekiel complacently, "should these forms not suffice the
strength of our will we must supply what is lacking."

And a rabbi said, "A little more or less guilty matters little, since
once for all the public weal demands that he should be removed."

Then Caiaphas said, "In securing the execution of our sentences it
would be safest if we could so contrive that the sentence of death
should be pronounced by the governor; then we should be clear of all
responsibility."

"We can try," said Nathanael. "If it miscarries, it is still always
open to us to have our sentence carried out by our trusty friends in
the commotion of a great tumult, without ourselves being openly
responsible for anything."

"And then," said the rabbi, "if the worst come we should have him in
our hands, and in the silence of a dungeon it will not be difficult to
find a more sure hand to deliver the Sanhedrin from its enemy."

Then Caiaphas arose and said, "Circumstances will teach us what should
be done. Now let us break up. But hold yourselves ready at any hour
of the night to be called together. There is no time to be lost. Our
resolution is, he must die."

And all the members of the high council cried tumultuously: "Let him
die! Let him die! The enemy of our holy land!"

CHAPTER IV.

BETRAYED BY A KISS.

The foulest deed will soon be done
That earth or hell displays--
Alas! ere this night's course be run
Judas his Lord betrays!

Come now, ye faithful souls draw nigh
See Jesus suffer, bleed and die,
Now has begun the anguished fight
Beyond in dark Gethsemane.
O, sinners never let this night
For evermore forgotten be!

For your salvation this has been
Which on the mountain we have seen,
When, sorrowing unto death, he sank
To earth, it was for you--
'Twas for your sake the damp turf drank
Those drops of crimson dew.

In the twilight of the same day there were gathered together in the
neighborhood of the Mount of Olives those appointed by the Sanhedrin to
seize Jesus. Judas was there with Dathan and the other traders, as
well as the four priests sent by Caiaphas to see that all things went
well. With the